In Character: Nicky Katt

From the mid-‘90s to early 2000s, Nicky Katt was seemingly unstoppable. He was everywhere, stealing scenes on hit TV shows, while popping up on a handful of the best indie films of the time. Known for his wicked sharp sense of humor and penchant for playing incredible jerks, Katt really could do no wrong. And although he doesn’t take as many roles now as he did then, he always manages to leave his mark with the roles he’s given. If nothing else, this guy is always good for a hilariously politically incorrect laugh.

Five Essential Roles

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Clint

Who the hell are you, man? Isaac fuckin’ Newton? Well guess what, genius? I’m the one smokin’ marijuana, motherfucker. You got a problem with that?

No, of course not.

Why’d you say that, chief? Come on, don’t let your mouth write a check your butt can’t cash. So I’m blazin’ with my friends, I’m a fuckin’ pothead, man. What’s it to you? What’s a matter, pussy? Outta observations? Observe while I punch your teeth down your throat!

Come on, dude. Relax.

I’ll be watchin’ you, Newton! I only came here to do two things: Kick ass and drink some beer. Looks like we’re almost outta beer.

SubUrbia (1996)

Tim

There’s a guy like Tim in every small town in America. The hard ass loser who knows he’s better than the place he’s in. The troublemaker who, despite hating his community and the people who live in it, refuses to leave. The thing I love most about Tim is how dangerous Katt plays him. We’re never quite sure what Tim is plotting, and what his angst will ultimately force him to do. Katt has played dangerous and sarcastic before and since, but seldom to such scary results. Tim is the highlight of SubUrbia; the obnoxious voice of reason that knows no bounds. I love the fact that, while we watch him, we keep wondering He won’t actually do it, will he?

The Limey (1999)

Stacy the Hitman

Nicky Katt’s mastery of wiseassery is rarely as effective as his Stacy, a hotheaded hitman from The Limey. Whether he’s insulting the man who just paid him to whack Terence Stamp, or improvising crude bits of comedy while stalking Lesley Ann Warren, everything Katt does here is in an effort to gain a guilty laugh. Katt is in the film for roughly four and a half minutes, but he stays around for far longer.

Boston Public (2000-2002)

Harry Senate

It takes a damn fine actor to convincingly pull off all the shit high school teacher Harry Senate got into. In the pilot episode of Boston Public, Harry shot a gun in his classroom as way of making a point to his rowdy students. And that may not even be the craziest thing he did during his arc on the show. He got into a fist fight with a jock (which rendered the kid unconscious), kissed a female student, got stabbed – you name it.

I loved Boston Public while it aired, mostly because I was the same age as the students in the show. Now, the show feels dated. But when I went back and rewatched a few episodes for this post, it was clear that Katt’s power hadn’t faded in the slightest. Harry Senate was a purposefully audacious character that was thankfully brought to life with precise care.

Full Frontal (2002)

Hitler

Steven Soderbergh is hesitant to let his actors improvise. He’s a very tactical filmmaker, so the faster things move, the better. Improvisation tends to bog a scene down with numerous takes, which is why it makes Soderbergh weary. On occasion, he does make the very wise decision to let certain actors run wild with their character. One of the best examples is Katt’s pathetically confident work as “Hitler” in Full Frontal.

First off, Katt isn’t playing the actual Hitler. He’s playing an actor who is playing Hitler in a shitty stage play. But Katt’s character isn’t preparing to play Hitler as some meaningless gig. He’s playing him as if he’s expecting a goddamn Tony award. In fact, Katt’s work here is easily one of the best portrayals of an egomaniac actor that I’ve ever seen. “Hitler” thinks everything he does is pure gold. Every change to the dialogue of the play (which is awful to begin with), every stage direction – every choice “Hitler” makes is the best choice ever. Full Frontal has never been a film with a great amount of fans, but it’s impossible to not be amused by Katt’s work here. He’s such a damn dope.

The Best of the Best

Boiler Room (2000)

Greg Weinstein

There are really two distinct sides to Nicky Katt’s acting talent: the sarcastic asshole, and the dead serious prick. Never has Katt blended together these two traits better than as Greg Weinstein in Ben Younger’s wildly entertaining Boiler Room.

When we first meet Greg, he’s polite and a tad elitist as he plays poker in the home of Seth Davis (Giovanni Ribisi). When we see him next, he’s giving instructions to Seth like a stern general, unwilling to accept compromise or insubordination. As the film goes on, we come to fully understand Greg’s game. That initial encounter with Seth was Greg’s subtle sales pitch. “Come work for me, and I’ll make you filthy rich.” But once Greg is the boss, Mr. Nice Guy is long gone and his true inner asshole is revealed.

The ongoing tension between Greg and Seth is one of the most compelling aspects of the film. I so love Greg’s character arc from the cool rich guy, to the jealous douchebag. Few guys can play assholes this well. Which is certainly saying something.

Other Notable Roles

In Sin City

The Babysitter (1995)

Strange Days (1995)

A Time to Kill (1996)

One True Thing (1998)

The Rules of Engagement (2000)

The Way of the Gun (2000)

Waking Life (2001)

Insomnia (2002)

School of Rock (2003)

Sin City (2005)

World Trade Center (2006)

The Brave One (2007)

Snow Angels (2007)

Grindhouse (2007)

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Sitter (2011)

Behind the Candelabra (2013)